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13
March
Mentorship Over Management: What Younger Talent Really Wants from Leadership
About the Author: Cristina Halliburton is the Vice President of Regional Business at Collabera with a passion for mentorship and a track record of growing talent from the ground up. Over her 10+ years in leadership, she’s guided teams through change, helped early-career professionals find their footing, and built trusted relationships across every level. Cristina believes that strong teams start with strong connections — and that the best leaders are the ones who show up, listen well, and coach with care.
According to Deloitte, Gen Z ranks transparency, flexibility, and mentorship among their highest workplace priorities. Having led teams across multiple generations, from early-career Millennials to today’s Gen Z professionals, I’ve seen firsthand how each group brings unique strengths, challenges, and expectations. But the shift I’ve noticed with Gen Z isn’t just generational. It’s cultural, and it requires us as leaders to respond with intention.
Far too often, Gen Z is painted with a broad brush: distracted, disengaged, glued to their phones. The reality, however, is much more nuanced. Many of these young professionals entered college or the workforce during a time of uncertainty, shaped by remote learning, social isolation, and a lack of traditional workplace exposure. They didn’t grow up in offices; they grew up online. And yet, what they crave is real-world connection, meaningful collaboration, and the kind of mentorship that helps them grow with confidence.
The approach to managing this generation will require a shift in leadership thought. Gen Z doesn’t need someone to oversee their work. They need someone to invest in their potential. They need the older generations to set aside assumptions and show up differently—through consistency, presence, and a willingness to listen before leading. More than perks or structure, they want to know someone is in their corner. Someone who will guide, support, and advocate for them, especially in moments of uncertainty.
What I’ve come to understand is that Gen Z isn’t resistant to accountability. In fact, they value it deeply—when it comes with clarity, respect, and mutual trust. This is a generation that asks thoughtful questions, seeks feedback regularly, and rises to the occasion when the environment encourages psychological safety. But for any of that to happen, leadership has to shift from authority to allyship.
This is where mentorship matters most. Intentional leaders don’t just give direction; they build direction together with their teams. They check in without micromanaging, provide honest feedback without judgment, and extend trust early rather than waiting for it to be earned. Gen Z didn’t grow up watching great workplace culture in action. Many of them, instead, watched shows like The Office, which turned dysfunction into humor. If we want them to believe that work can be inspiring, empowering, and worth showing up for, we have to be the proof.
At Collabera, we’ve worked hard to create that proof. Starting a career can feel like stepping off a cliff, especially when structure is replaced by ambiguity. For many early-career professionals, joining Collabera is their first introduction to a workplace that not only expects growth but supports it wholeheartedly. That support shows up in the small moments: a manager celebrating a first client win, a teammate offering to practice a tough pitch, a simple “How are you holding up?” that reminds someone they’re not alone.
One of our core values, “Care and Make It Better,” isn’t aspirational. It’s practiced. I’ve watched leaders prioritize one-on-one development, shift their schedules to make room for mentorship, and rally around new hires when the learning curve feels steep. These aren’t grand gestures, but they’re powerful. They are the moments that build trust, inspire loyalty, and create belonging.
So to the leaders reading this, here’s what I’ll say. If you’re guiding today’s emerging talent, don’t focus on controlling outcomes. Focus on cultivating potential. Show up with empathy. Set expectations with care and clarity. Invest in the relationship first, and results will follow. Gen Z is ready to grow. The real question is whether we’re willing to lead in a way that makes that growth possible.
Because in the end, leadership isn’t about control. It’s about connection. And that, more than anything, is what the next generation is looking for.
